The Performing Arts

Year 7

Drama

In year 7 pupils will develop a range of skills through the medium of drama. Exploring a variety of issues, they will learn how to perform confidently, communicate with others and develop life-long social skills such as cooperation and communication. Through role-play they will explore their own beliefs and opinions whilst developing understanding and empathy towards others. Pupils will also learn to enjoy drama and theatre as an art form, through script reading and the appreciation of the work of others.

In year 7 pupils will develop a range of skills through their music education. They will listen to, compose and perform in a variety of different styles. They will learn how to perform confidently with others and develop social skills such as cooperation and communication. When listening, pupils will analyse music using the Musical Elements. In Performance, pupils will be given the opportunity to play brass, woodwind, strings, percussion, and keyboard instruments and they will develop their skills even further by composing for those instruments too!

Year 8

Drama

In year 8 pupils will continue develop a range of skills through the medium of drama. Exploring a variety of issues, they will further develop skills required to perform confidently, and refine their life-long social skills such as cooperation and communication. Building upon the appreciation of drama as an art form that is developed in year 7, pupils will learn vital key skills required for success in GCSE drama.

In year 8 pupils will develop a range of skills through their music education. They will listen to, compose and perform in a variety of different styles. They will learn how to perform confidently with others and develop social skills such as cooperation and communication. When listening, pupils will analyse music using the Musical Elements as well as compare different styles and give critical analysis of many different styles of music. In Performance, pupils will be given the opportunity to play brass, woodwind, strings, percussion, and keyboard instruments and they will develop their skills even further by composing for those instruments too! They will show knowledge of the compositional devices that are specific to different styles in their practical assessment.

Students will work on their performance skills with their peripatetic music tutor. This allows for each student to have personalised provision in terms of instrument and ability. Students will perform at least one solo or ensemble at the end of every half term. At the end of the course, the two performances that received the highest marks will be submitted.

Component 3: Composing Music

In Year 9, students will complete compositional exercises which will gradually build them up to the standard required for their GCSE composition.

Year 10

Drama

BTEC Performing art is a vocational qualification that allows students to develop acting, dance or design skills through real-life scenarios. It is an excellent platform for anyone considering a future in performing arts.

In year 10 students will use knowledge and understanding of the terminology required for GCSE that they learnt in Year 9 to begin to analyse music in three different Areas of Study:

Western Classical Tradition, Popular Music, Traditional Music, Western Classical Tradition since 1910

Component 2: Performing Music

Students will work on their performance skills with their peripatetic music tutor. This allows for each student to have personalised provision in terms of instrument and ability. Students will perform at least one solo or ensemble at the end of every half term. At the end of the course, the two performances that received the highest marks will be submitted.

Component 3: Composing Music

In Year 10, students will complete their first composition to be submitted as controlled assessment. This composition is a free composition, and students will be advised as to which style they should write in based on their instrumental skills and the strengths demonstrated in the compositional exercises completed in Year 9.

Year 11

Music

Component 1: Understanding Music

In year 11 students will use knowledge and understanding of the terminology required for GCSE that they learnt in Year 9, along with the skills of analysis covered in Year 10 to answer exam questions requiring knowledge of all elements types and relating to all four Areas of Study. It is important that students learn to distinguish which terms are relevant to which Area of Study.

Component 2: Performing Music

Students will work on their performance skills with their peripatetic music tutor. This allows for each student to have personalised provision in terms of instrument and ability. Students will perform at least one solo or ensemble at the end of every half term. At the end of the course, the two performances that received the highest marks will be submitted.

Component 3: Composing Music

In Year 11, students will complete their second composition to be submitted as controlled assessment. This composition is written to a brief which is not released until the students are in Year 11. It is vital, therefore, that students draw on knowledge from all of the compositional exercises that they have completed throughout the course.

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